Exclusive Interview
‘Say Yes to the Dress’ Icon Randy Fenoli Dishes on History-Making Season & His Future With the Show (VIDEO)
There’s no Say Yes to the Dress without Randy Fenoli. The bridal guru has been with the feel-good wedding series since the show’s debut in 2007. Over the years, he’s helped countless brides find the perfect wedding dress. However, he was initially hesitant about the show.
“The first day they asked me to be on the show, I said, ‘No.’ I said, ‘I don’t even watch reality TV. There’s no way I’m going to do this,'” he told Swooon. He eventually acquiesced and filmed the first season. Say Yes to the Dress became a global phenomenon after its debut, with Fenoli’s iconic line, “Are you saying yes to the dress?” becoming synonymous with brides all over the world.
“When I first started the show, I thought, it’s a reality TV show. It’s a lot of fluff… until I really got to understand the show,” Fenoli said. “I think one of the greatest shows of all time is, of course, The Golden Girls. I love The Golden Girls because you laugh the whole way through, yet they tackle some very, very difficult subjects and very important subjects that are controversial and heart-wrenching, and I think we kind of do the same.”
In this new season of Say Yes to the Dress, which premieres April 5, brides from all corners of America step into Kleinfeld Bridal. One bride has trichotillomania, a mental health condition that results in hair loss. Another bride is non-binary, and one is a quadriplegic.
The bridalwear icon teased a history-making moment in one of the upcoming episodes. He has always believed that a bride without a veil is “just a pretty girl in a white dress.” However, the bride with trichotillomania made him pause. “Let me just say at the end of the appointment, I got her in a veil, and I created something that has never been created that I’m aware of in the history of bridal on the set in front of the cameras,” he teased.
Fenoli has appeared in every season of Say Yes to the Dress, and he’s got no plans to step away. “There’s no way I can’t be a part of it,” he told Swooon.
The series is back after a two-year hiatus, and Fenoli thinks the timing is just right. “We need a happy ending with everything that’s going on in the world and the wars and just everything,” he admitted. “I’m glad we waited for these this season because, as I said, I think it’s the perfect timing for us to give a happy ending.”
Watch the full video above to see Fenoli look back on the show’s legacy and dish out the latest bridal trends.
Say Yes to the Dress, Season Premiere, Saturday, April 5, 8/7c, TLC
